Three dimensional printers have been in existence for over a decade. However, as it relates to the health care industry, three dimensional printing is not a wide spread art.
For instance, if a doctor wants a three dimensional image of a patient's actual knee or shoulder made, it is likely that they would have to take a scan, send the scan off to a remote location, wait weeks, if not months, and then receive a print (3d model) back. By then, there may be a significant change in the body of the patient.
Additionally, in addition to hard tissue such as bone, there is believed to be a need to print other tissues with three dimensional printers, such as internal organs, i.e., the heart, liver, colon, pancreas, etc., or even a hard bone with more flexible tendons, cartilage, etc.
When printing three dimensional models, normally an entire file is taken and then segmented by the software of the printer or a computer connected to the printer for each layer to be printed. This requires the uploading or generation of an entire file processing by the computer (or printer) and then outputting specific layers to the printer for printing one layer at a time. An increased efficiency method is believed to be desirable for at least some applications.
Additionally, there is no current way for doctors to quickly receive models of patients, organs, bones or other structure as would otherwise be interpreted by a scan such as CT scan or MRI or other scan so that representative components can be printed locally such as either at a central office in a city and delivered to the doctor or in the doctor's office and/or at a hospital so that the doctor then can show the patient and/or come up with a preferred course of action to address any particular issue possibly in the same visit as the scan is performed.
Finally, even though the relative shape of many internal body parts is relatively similar amongst one individual and another, there is no known way to provide a three dimensional printed object based at least partially on a model of common traits amongst multiple individuals that is utilized to assist in preparing a file for printing. Accordingly, there is believed to be a series of needs at least in the health care profession if not others for an improved three dimensional printer and methods of operating three dimensional printers.